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Briefly: Fence, barbed wire being added to Natchez Trace bridge to prevent jumpers




Fence, barbed wire being added to

Natchez Trace bridge to prevent jumpers

A chain-link fence topped with barbed wire is being added to a 155-foot-high bridge in an effort to prevent people from jumping off the span, the National Park Service said.

Crews were slated to begin erecting the temporary safety barrier on the Double Arch Bridge along the Natchez Trace Parkway near Nashville on Monday, the park service said in a statement.

The statement said the project is meant “to deter further loss of life through suicide” and would remain in place until a permanent barrier design is selected and constructed. Its current railings are 32 inches high.

Some lawmakers declared the bridge to be a public health hazard in 2019. The Tennessean reported at the time that 32 people had killed themselves by jumping off the bridge in Williamson County as of 2018.

The work is expected to cause traffic delays. Motorists and bicyclists should expect some lane closures and the Birdsong Hollow pullout will not be accessible, an official said. The bridge will be closed to pedestrians and hikers until the project is completed.

The 1,572-foot-long Double Arch Bridge was constructed in 1994 and spans across Birdsong Hollow. It received the Presidential Award for Design Excellence in 1995 for its innovative design.

— Associated Press

Tennessee unveils trail made out of tires

MEMPHIS — Tennessee officials say one of the longest rubber-bearing trails in the U.S. has opened at T.O. Fuller State Park.

According to a news release, Tennessee State Parks, the Department of Transportation and local leaders cut the ribbon on the new 2.5-mile hard-surface walking and biking trail.

Volunteers and local contractors gathered more than 24,000 tires that had been illegally dumped in the park to make the trail. Patriot Tire Recycling in Bristol transformed the tires into crumbs, which were then returned to the park for trail construction.

“This is a quintessential example of recycling in full circle, collecting dumped material then converting it into positive use,” said David Salyers, commissioner of Tennessee’s Department of Environment and Conservation. “It’s exactly the kind of responsible environmental activity Tennesseans can be proud of, where an area can be cleaned up then have people enjoy the benefits in a new way.”

State officials say T.O. Fuller State Park was the first state park open for African Americans east of the Mississippi River.

— Associated Press

Henry Horton State Park opens

restaurant, visitors center

Tennessee officials have opened a new restaurant and visitors center at Henry Horton State Park.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation says it and the Department of General Services hosted the grand opening Thursday at the park in the Chapel Hill area on the shores of the Duck River.

The 6,381-square-foot restaurant and two-story visitors center combine for nearly $8.3 million in improvements at the park.

The restaurant will seat 106 people inside and 52 people outside. The visitors center includes an exhibit and interpretive area and a conference room.

The park was built in the 1960s on the estate of former Gov. Henry Horton.

— Associated Press

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